Indonesian officials urge youth and universities to lead in digital and AI era

Indonesian officials are emphasizing the role of the younger generation and academic institutions in navigating the digital era and strengthening democracy.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto addressed students at Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah, urging them to take active roles in society despite the rise of artificial intelligence. He noted that while AI is an inevitable part of the modern era, it lacks human conscience, wisdom, and values. He encouraged youth to build competence and networks to ensure humans remain in control of technology.

Separately, Bawaslu member Puadi spoke at Universitas Airlangga regarding the importance of universities acting as 'laboratories of democracy.' He highlighted the need for academic institutions to foster critical thinking and research to combat digital manipulation. Puadi stated that Bawaslu is undergoing a digital transformation to move election supervision from a conventional model to a proactive, data-driven approach.